"STREETS OF STALINGRAD - 1 TOW" === BETA TESTERS??

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Sat May 10, 2003 11:58 pm

OK, finally got my next 'Stalingrad' themed map on the way to final. I'm looking for TWO or THREE guys with TWO computers on hand to beta test the objectives for me. BUT, I'll be happy to have a guy or three run around and make some suggestions as well. Post your email below and I'll contact you. I'm 99% sure they work, but one switch, for the life of me is a beast and isn't cooperating at the moment.

SCENARIO: Mid-fall, 1942, the German advance is pushing through a sector of the city nearing the Volga just beyond the next few streets. The Allies/Russians need to fight for control of five strategic positions. The Germans, of course, need to push forward, secure each objective--HOLD it and move on to the next. There are three ways forward with a major choke point covering the Russian final hold-out.

OBJECTIVES: This IS a TOW map. There are NO-NO-NO spawn related bombs! There are five objectives, including each sides 'HQ'. IF one side can occupy the opposing teams HQ and 'flip' the switch, they are able to 'prevent' reinforcements/new spawns...they then need to find and eliminate the remaining enemy players while STILL controlling the 'HQ'. The HQ can be repeatedly liberated and lost throughout the game. More of a see-saw battle in which you MUST attack and you MUST defend.

Screenshots:

Post by **Surgeon** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:52 am

Umm quick tip : is dark blue really the colour of farplane you want - for me it distracts from the map.....but thats just my opinion

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:04 am

Tried something new with the blue-ish tint for a 'smokey' feel. I have another lighter blue that isn't bad either. This one is a little 'heavy', but a farplane is absolutely necessary here. Keeps the FPS in the 90s almost 100% of the time. White/Gray are too 'eh' for me in this map. Perhaps a different Skybox texture, but everyone complains about cloudy skies being used too much.........

Also, it's MUCH lighter than it looks when you are actually running around at ground level. All these shots were from the floating camera... more later that will show the difference. But THANKS for provoking me to think more about the color.

Gen Cobra · Post by **Gen Cobra** » Sun May 11, 2003 5:50 am

This made me realize I should have added a HINT of blue to Slaingrad Snow's farplane to add a cold color to the environment.

Hunter · Post by **Hunter** » Sun May 11, 2003 9:30 am

It looks very good, only the blue sky is a bit too blue

vinyl · Post by **vinyl** » Sun May 11, 2003 10:08 am

looks good but to much blue m8

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Sun May 11, 2003 10:36 am

I like it, but as said, too blue.

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Sun May 11, 2003 10:39 am

The blue tint is LOVELY! Really spooky feelingt... its the sky-box thats strange... anny heavy fog will look strange with a normal sky texture. I'd use common/skyclip instead. Nice one!

Drecks · Post by **Drecks** » Sun May 11, 2003 11:32 am

I love good Stalingrad maps... But I don't like Spearhead

so me have a problem

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:19 pm

Ok, comments noted, and welcomed. How about these as test shots? One with a gray/white fog and one with the blue, from ground level. Keeping in mind an attempt for early morning, low sun angle, with smoke in the air..........

AND, do you think a softer blue would still work???

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:28 pm

Well, as you can see: any atempt to use any form of "heavy fog" will look bad ( the water tower or whatever it is just looks like an error ).
This is because you can se the clouds a few kilometers away clearly, but you can hardly see the house a 100 meters away... the only way to avoid these problems is to use the common/skyclip on the skybox ( this will give the skybox the same color as the farplanecolor ). The sky will become rather boring this way, but fog IS boring...

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:38 pm

The second one is nicer, except if u could make it darker-grey blue then it would be gr8!

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:55 pm

The 'water tower' you refer to is actually a set of hide/show flags for each objective....I put them in to be sure my script worked right and thought of leaving them in as 'flags' for the map so that you can see who controls each objective visually without the scoreboard...they switch from a Soviet to Nazi flag for each team.

Fog is, unfortunately, a requirement on any outdoor map with any kind of long sight lines. I have what I think is good leaf group use in this map that really keeps the FPS up. With all the detailing I try to do, you have to have fog in any sizeable map. I actually think it adds atmosphere to most maps. In this map, the fog allows a sniper to control his immediate sector, but not reach out half way across the map...better play balance I think as the sniper has a real advantage here, even with the fog.

Anyway, I appreciate the comments. Working on using the common/caulksky now and tweaking the color a bit.

Maybe this is more to your liking???? With the D-Day sky and white/grey fog.........

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Sun May 11, 2003 3:45 pm

I repeat: The only way to avoid these problems is to use the common/skyclip on the skybox ( this will give the skybox the same color as the farplanecolor ).

8)

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Sun May 11, 2003 4:32 pm

I'm not worried about the 'flags' popping in or out. I've set up leaf groups and they work pretty well keeping FPS up. Just trying to to get a realistic sky look with fog. Absolutely has to have fog. I know how the common sky texture works...don't care for it much because there is no depth to the sky box...but in some cases it does work for serious situations. My major focus for this map isn't on the sky, but on the details around you.

I guess my biggest question is about color...if you could layer the fogplane, that would be cool. Then I could have a low level blue tinted fog fading to normal sky above. Might be possible, don't know for sure.